RICHARD WELLS PROFILE
becoming a bit more aware. “Suddenly people are asking: ‘How can I do something? How can I offset the things that I do? You can plant a tree or do something else positive such as purchase a machine that doesn’t do damage to the environment. “Just slowing down the damage isn’t going to make the world a better place, it’s about doing things to actually reverse the damage that’s already been done. And I think we, in our own way, play a part by trying to encourage that thought process.” Typewriters and fax machines Richard’s work at Epson is the culmination of a career spent in the sector, although he entered the world of office equipment almost by accident. He started out taking a degree in business studies and part of his work experience was selling office equipment, most notably manual typewriters, “because that’s how old I am. So typewriters, fax machines, photocopiers and stationery,” he laughs. Richard became so caught up in sales that he never returned full-time to his studies and stayed on in the industry: “I never went back to college full- time because I enjoyed selling so much. I caught the bug and finished my course part-time by working three days a week for the company and doing two days at college. “It was a hybrid arrangement which saw me through the last six months of my college career. I was awarded my diploma and then I started full-time with the office equipment company. Funnily enough, I took to the stationary side of the business more than the office equipment initially and spent the next two to three years working in stationery, culminating in being headhunted by Danwood to work for them selling stationery.”
At Danwood, Richard became a typewriter sales specialist and eventually moved into management and ran the local office in Norwich. He took over the copier side of sales and quickly learned where the value of the business was, which was in photocopying. Technology changes “It’s amazing when you look back at how much the technology has changed in a relatively short period of time and things that seemed difficult and were really hard to get your head around are now really simple,” he says. “Technology is now very usable and easy to understand for people of all ages. And I think that’s really what helped catapult technology and the use of technology in the modern world.” At Danwood, Richard spent a lot of time in the reseller world, which is where he learned about the print industry. He later joined Midwich to learn how distribution views the print world. Just as he was considering going off and creating his own
“
It’s amazing
when you look back at how much the technology has changed in a relatively short period of time and things that seemed difficult and were really hard to get your head around are now really simple.
enterprise, Epson asked him to join them. “I was thinking, should I set up my own
”
dealership? Should I use my knowledge of 30 years in a resale world where I’ve done many senior roles? Should I get involved in various other projects? “But it was the draw of joining Epson at a time that they were trying to make a real impact and with a very different message that I found so exciting. If I’m honest, I probably thought that I would go more my own way and become a consultant. “But the idea of being able to effect change to such a big degree in the print industry by joining Epson was a much stronger pull, as it turned out – and, of course, I’m very happy I made that decision. It’s been lifechanging in so many ways.”
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